The Covenant Component
July 6, 2008
Scripture:
Genesis 17:1-8 - 1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before me and be blameless. 2 And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. 8 Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
Synopsis:
From the beginning to the end of the Bible, and for that matter, from the beginning to the end of time, God is covenant. Yet covenant is the most misunderstood aspect of God’s character. Anyone who seriously studies God’s word will see that God’s love is primarily expressed through His covenant with His people.
A covenant is a long-term agreement between two or more parties. Inherent in any covenant is the concept of a lasting commitment to a clearly defined relationship. The dispensation of God’s divine covenant with His people, meaning the administration, stewardship and ownership, is God’s alone. He exercises, executes and establishes His covenant, shouldering all the responsibility and obligation. All we His people have to do is enter into the covenant as Abraham did and reap the benefits, not the least of which is liberty. A God-ordained covenant is designed to lift and enlighten, especially in dark times. Problems arise when we attempt to take ownership of God’s covenant and through religious ritual rewrite it to suit our preferences. Invariably our version of the covenant is not liberating but desecrating.
God offers His covenant and the opportunity to be free and blessed to every generation of His people. All He requires of us is a circumcised heart. A circumcised heart is one that has cut itself off from the sin and failure of the past through repentance and the receiving of forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ. God is calling everyone into covenant with Him. He is calling us to be “keepers” of His covenant, meaning those that preserve, protect, and appreciate the covenant through obedience and submission. To become keepers of God’s covenant is the greatest expression of love and worship we can offer God.
